AFI Announces Guest Artistic Director Agnes Varda’s Films

AFI Announces Guest Artistic Director Agnes Varda's Films

Iconic “Mother of the French New Wave” director Agnes Varda is the Guest Artistic Director for this year’s upcoming 2013 AFI Film Festival in Los Angeles.

The festival will screen some of Varda’s classic films including Documenteur and Cleo From 5 To 7, which also serves as the inspiration for the festival’s artwork. In addition, during the festival’s run, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art will begin “Agnes Varda in Californialand” which will be the first U.S. museum to present Varda’s artwork. It will be accompanied by a film series of her work.

Varda commented about her position as Artistic Director as well as her discover of cinema.

It’s always good to be chosen, but it’s funny to be chosen to choose, therefore I immediately accepted the invitation from AFI FEST to propose some films
for their program. They suggested that I pick some films that have influenced me. Alas, I can’t. When I wrote and shot my first film in 1954, La Point Courte, I had hardly seen 10 films. My culture was books, painting and theatre. Alain Resnais, who edited my film, was the one who told
me about cinema and suggested that I go to the Cinematheque, which I had not approached before. If I had seen the masterpieces that I discovered later I
certainly would not have dared to create a film at 26. My ignorance gave me freedom and audacity.

Varda’s program, all of which will screen during the festival, consists of the following films.

Pickpocket- Robert Bresson
(1959)

A Woman Under The Influence – John Cassavetes
(1974)

The Marriage Of Maria Braun – Rainer Werner Fassbinder
(1979)

After Hours – Martin Scorsese (1985)

The AFI Film Festival runs from November 7-14. “Agnes Varda in Californialand” at LACMA begins on November 3 and completes its run in June 2014.